Myths and Legends of Our Own Land, vol 1 | Page 9

out of his haunts on this height,
and was killed by falling from a cliff on an eminence to the northward,
known, in consequence, as Breakneck Hill. These, with Anthony's
Nose, are the principal points of interest in the lovely and impressive
panorama that unfolds before the view as the boats fly onward.
Concerning the last-named elevation, the aquiline promontory that
abuts on the Hudson opposite Dunderberg, it takes title from no
resemblance to the human feature, but is so named because Anthony
Van Corlaer, the trumpeter, who afterwards left a reason for calling the
upper boundary of Manhattan Island Spuyten Duyvil Creek, killed the
first sturgeon ever eaten at the foot of this mountain. It happened in this
wise: By assiduous devotion to keg and flagon Anthony had begotten a
nose that was the wonder and admiration of all who knew it, for its size
was prodigious; in color it rivalled the carbuncle, and it shone like
polished copper. As Anthony was lounging over the quarter of Peter
Stuyvesant's galley one summer morning this nose caught a ray from
the sun and reflected it hissing into the water, where it killed a sturgeon
that was rising beside the vessel. The fish was pulled aboard, eaten, and
declared good, though the singed place savored of brimstone, and in
commemoration of the event Stuyvesant dubbed the mountain that rose
above his vessel Anthony's Nose.

MOODUA CREEK
Moodua is an evolution, through Murdy's and Moodna, from
Murderer's Creek, its present inexpressive name having been given to it
by N. P. Willis. One Murdock lived on its shore with his wife, two sons,
and a daughter; and often in the evening Naoman, a warrior of a
neighboring tribe, came to the cabin, caressed the children, and shared
the woodman's hospitality. One day the little girl found in the forest an
arrow wrapped in snake-skin and tipped with crow's feather; then the
boy found a hatchet hanging by a hair from a bough above the door;
then a glare of evil eyes was caught for an instant in a thicket. Naoman,
when he came, was reserved and stern, finding voice only to warn the
family to fly that night; so, when all was still, the threatened family
made its way softly, but quickly, to the Hudson shore, and embarked
for Fisher's Kill, across the river.
The wind lagged and their boat drew heavily, and when, from the shade

of Pollopel's Island, a canoe swept out, propelled by twelve men, the
hearts of the people in the boat sank in despair. The wife was about to
leap over, but Murdock drew her back; then, loading and firing as fast
as possible, he laid six of his pursuers low; but the canoe was savagely
urged forward, and in another minute every member of the family was
a helpless captive. When the skiff had been dragged back, the prisoners
were marched through the wood to an open spot where the principal
members of the tribe sat in council.
The sachem arose, twisted his hands in the woman's golden hair, bared
his knife, and cried, "Tell us what Indian warned you and betrayed his
tribe, or you shall see husband and children bleed before your eyes."
The woman answered never a word, but after a little Naoman arose and
said, "'Twas I;" then drew his blanket about him and knelt for execution.
An axe cleft his skull. Drunk with the sight of blood, the Indians rushed
upon the captives and slew them, one by one. The prisoners neither
shrank nor cried for mercy, but met their end with hymns upon their
lips, and, seeing that they could so meet death, one member of the band
let fall his arm and straight became a Christian. The cabin was burned,
the bodies flung into the stream, and the stain of blood was seen for
many a year in Murderer's Creek.

A TRAPPER'S GHASTLY VENGEANCE
About a mile back from the Hudson, at Coxsackie, stood the cabin of
Nick Wolsey, who, in the last century, was known to the river
settlements as a hunter and trapper of correct aim, shrewdness,
endurance, and taciturn habit. For many years he lived in this cabin
alone, except for the company of his dog; but while visiting a camp of
Indians in the wilderness he was struck with the engaging manner of
one of the girls of the tribe; he repeated the visit; he found cause to go
to the camp frequently; he made presents to the father of the maid, and
at length won her consent to be his wife. The simple marriage
ceremony of the tribe was performed, and Wolsey led Minamee to his
home; but the wedding was interrupted in an almost tragic manner, for
a surly fellow who had loved